Road and Traffic – Febuary

Calderbridge
and Ponsonby Community Plan – Safety and Speed Group

22
January 2020 10.30am

Some of the
projects that we have been working on have completed, here are some of them:-

Improvements
already:

• Traffic
  data survey has taken place. October/November 2019
• White
  Lines repainted in the middle of the village, Fell End Road and Sellafield Road
  end. Thanks to CCC. November 2019  –
  January 2020
• Tree
  and shrubbed areas by church/river and opposite Stanley Pub removed and cut
  back improving vision and perception of space into bend. Thank you to the
  Parish Council.

A positive affect has already been noticed by drivers slowing down into the bridge and both north and south bound traffic has improved by not crossing the middle white lines. This has helped driver and pedestrian safety within the village

Ongoing
Projects

Traffic Data

The traffic
speed data can be summarised in that it did not show undue speeding and the
majority of vehicles were within the set 85% level criteria the Police and
CRASH teams work within. Current traffic speeds will
not support frequent policing or speed camera campaigns.

However, it was
felt that the Community Speed Watch, Behaviour Safety
Campaigns and further road and pavement layout could improve safety and reduce
speeds further.

It
was noted that although the majority of traffic drove through the village
within the speed limit (plus 10%) the proximity of pedestrians to the road when
crossing and restricted driver view definitely gave a perception of higher
speeds and concern for safety.

Signage
Improvements from Walkabout

Please keep an
eye open for new signs coming to the village. In some are replacements for
existing signs and some are to update old signs. The meeting approved the signs with a few suggested and
agreed improvements.

These signs
include a new ‘Welcome to Calderbridge Please drive carefully” at the south end
of the village and Chevron sign on railings (southbound before bridge).

Road Layout
in the Square (Ennerdale turn/Fell Road end)

A feasibility
inspection proposing alterations to this junction has been carried out. A first draft was presented to the meeting which would involve
moving the street light and some changes to the parking near the junction.
These ideas were for discussion only and to give the group time to share and
discuss any concerns.

It was agreed
that further consultation was needed before any
further design work for these more major improvements would take place.

Discussion did
take place about an interim option of altering
the white lines by the southbound entrance to the Ennerdale Fell Road. This
narrowing of the A595 slightly to enable the ‘squaring off’ of the corner could
slow traffic down within the village, particularly
that travelling south bound and taking the Fell Road.

It was agreed
that this could be a short term achievable priority.

Other medium
and long term actions will also be investigated in future meetings.

Road/Pathways
Designation

It was
discussed and clarified that the roads and pathways within the main village and south are the responsibility of CCC. From
roughly Pelham Drive entrance (by the lights) and north they are the
responsibility of Highways England.

These are 2 separate organisations and so the reporting of faults, concerns, and minor improvements needs to be via separate websites, phone numbers etc. Please follow the link below to report faults.

Reporting Road and Lighting Faults

North Bound
Traffic driving on footpath

The dropped
kerb outside 1 Church View enables vehicles to mount the kerb and drive along
the path until the next dropped kerb by the ginnel entrance (this is so drivers
do not have to wait for traffic turning right up to Ennerdale).

We will look into the
feasibility of the kerb being raised outside 1 Church View

Other issues
discussed

• Rumble
  strips
• Extending
  lower speed limits outside of the village
• Village
  By Pass
• A595
  improvements – Black Beck Island lane usage (improved signage)

All of the
above (with the exception of the speed limit south of
the Village) fall within Highways England and the Group may need to take
separate action with Highways England relating to these.

Initially
we will need further discussions with CCC for advice on how these major actions
should be tackled and whether CCC would need to be involved.

Street
Lighting

CCC
have been asked to provide a map showing the location of the street lights they
are responsible for in the Ponsonby Parish (essentially the A595 between
Blackbeck roundabout and New Mill).

Tarmac and
Railing Condition

South Bound by
bridge, CCC will advise us who has ownership of the railings running towards
the bridge and continue investigations into the condition of the tarmac in this
area.

Ennerdale
Road  – Church Railings and Road

CCC investigating our
concerns of height of tarmac/road pushing onto church wall. Meeting Date
TBC   Approximately April/early May